How Nexans fire safety cables and modular wiring solution reduces risk for you

The smoke and toxic gases generated in a building fire are the major cause of all casualties, therefore it is vital to reduce the exposure time to these hazards by facilitating a safe and rapid evacuation.

Cables lie at the heart of a building safety system, playing a crucial role in reducing the amount of toxins generated during the fire, whilst also powering critical equipment that will allow successful evacuations. It is important to understand how Nexans Low Fire Hazard and Nexans Fire-Rated cables help to support a safe evacuation.

Nexans low fire hazard cables are made using special zero halogen and flame retardant materials that generate substantially less smoke and toxic gases during a fire than traditional cables. The flame retardance of these cables is also generally higher than that of traditional cables, significantly reducing the likelihood that the cable will contribute to the spread of fire.

Nexans fire-resistant cables are designed with the same low smoke and reduced propagation properties as low fire hazard cables, but additionally are designed to continue operation during the fire to maintain essential services (emergency lighting, ventilation etc.) until the evacuation process is completed safely.

• Cable specification – cables with the correct fire safety properties (low fire hazard) are specified in advance, prepared in the factory, tested and then delivered to the site. The process is transparent and eliminates the risk of noncompliant cable being installed in the building.

• Cable routing – with modular wiring this is pre-designed and the wiring system sizing and lengths are determined in advance. All the modular wiring elements are clearly labelled and identified in accordance with the design.

The Nexans Modular Wiring System integrates Nexans low fire hazard cables in a designed and manufactured system. Below are examples of how the modular wiring system works to amplify fire safety:

• Service penetrations – breaches in building fabric are a major contributor to the spread of fire. In a modular wiring system, service penetrations can be appropriately designed and specified in advance – including the allowance of fire stopping and intumescent protection.

• Safe terminations – all junctions, connections and terminations in modular systems are made and tested in the factory, reducing the scope for installation errors being made on site.